For an asparagus plant to be commercially viable and profitable, good yield is essential. It is well known that asparagus is susceptible to a number of diseases. Among the most devastating are rust caused by Puccinia asparagi d.c., (Kahn et al. 1952) and crown rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum, root rot caused by Fusarium proliferatum (syn =F. moniliforme) (Johnston et al., 1979; Guerrero et al., 1999). The presence of these diseases aversely impacts the yields and therefore the profitability of the product. Accordingly, resistance to these diseases is important to commercial success.
This invention herein described relates to a new and distinct asparagus hybrid, which was developed through crossing an elite female asparagus plant RF50 (Unpatented) selected from an old asparagus field with a homozygous male plant 22-34 (U.S. Plant Pat. 18387 P3). The performance of this hybrid has been evaluated for over 9 years in fields located near New Brunswick and Bridgeton, N.J. It is distinguished particularly as to its desirable traits of vigorous growth habit, higher yield, good field resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) and good field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum) and (Fusarium moniliforme).